If only all restaurateurs could sign their leases, choose the names of their businesses and slam dunk their deals before I write my yearly column about the future restaurant scene, my life would be so much easier. But when part of your job description is keeper of secrets, you can't write about a deal until it is, literally, a done deal.

Pat Kuleto is negotiating for something that will knock your socks off, but the details are in the vault until he signs on the dotted line.

Chris Martin, managing partner of the Cannery shopping complex (2801 Leavenworth, at Beach), has big plans for 2004, including a farmers' market in the plaza each Friday and one weekend day a month. He says there will be custom-built stalls, about 25 hand-picked organic farmers, some flower growers, fresh fish and -- holy parking goddess -- validated parking in the Cannery garages. Martin also says that several new restaurants will open in the Cannery next year. The details have yet to be worked out, but Scoop readers will be the first to know.

Elisabeth Daniel closed after service New Year's and will either be sold or will be restructured with a new chef. General partner and chef Daniel Patterson is going to be the chef at Frisson, a new restaurant under construction at 244 Jackson St. (near Front).

Last month, I spoke with chef-owner Jim Moffat, who said he was negotiating to close his almost 8-year-old 42 Degrees. When I followed up last week, the restaurant's number was disconnected.

But back to our good news for 2004.

Michael Mina's deal at the Westin St. Francis is progressing, with his signature seafood restaurant scheduled to open this spring. We do have one scoop for 2005: Mina plans to publish his long-awaited cookbook.

Charles Phan will move his popular Slanted Door from 100 Brannan St. (at the Embarcadero) to the Ferry Building. He expects to close the Brannan location the first week of March and fling open the doors at the new spot a week or so later. His project for a noodle house at the original location (584 Valencia St., near 17th Street) is on hold until he gets his white tablecloth restaurant perking.

In St. Helena, I'm looking forward to the spring opening of Pilar (807 Main St., near Third), from the husband-and-wife team Pilar Sanchez and Didier Lender.

Chef Eric Torralba, who left Domaine Chandon last November, will open Antidote on the outskirts of St. Helena. At the other end of the valley, Boon Fly Cafe in the Carneros Inn (4048 Sonoma Hwy.) will be delayed until spring. The Hilltop restaurant, for inn guests only, is already open.

Former Masa's chef Chad Callahan will open a casual cafe and fish store, aptly named Fish, at 350 Harbor Drive in Sausalito in February or March.

It's preliminary, because the funding isn't entirely in place, but it appears that Oliveto chef-partner Paul Bertolli will open an artisan Italian- style meat production facility in association with his Oliveto partner Bob Klein. They will make a line of dry-cured sausages and other products like pates and mortadella. Bertolli will remain as chef of the restaurant.

E&O Trading Co., with restaurants in San Jose and San Francisco, is expanding to a third Bay Area county, with a lease on a 7,000-square-foot space in the Larkspur Landing Center. Founder Chris Hemmeter plans to open the restaurant -- 190 inside seats and 60 seats outside -- in September. The chef is to be determined. The design, Hemmeter says, will be sexy and tropical. E&O's food is Southeast Asian plates paired with house brews.

Hotelier Chip Conley is building a 200-room hotel near the Embarcadero (2 Mission St., at Steuart Street) named Hotel Vitale and is talking to four individuals or groups about a joint-venture restaurant. There will be 130 seats indoors and 100 seats outdoors.

In San Francisco's Civic Center, Trader Vic's will live again in the old Stars restaurant space at 555 Golden Gate Ave. (near Van Ness Avenue). Because the building requires so much retrofitting, don't expect it soon.

Out in the avenues, Houda and Jack Tanzerakul are in the process of moving El Mansour from 3123 Clement St. to 3119 Clement (between 32nd and 33rd avenues). The new space will be larger and have an all-new Moroccan decor.